Adjustable coupling for aeroplane stay-wires.



S. CHRISTOFFERSON.

ADJUSTABLE COUPLING FOR'AEROPLANE STAY WIRES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2. I915.

1,159,47g, Patehted NOV. 9, 1915.

I WITNESSES: I v V Arron/m SILAS CHRISTOFFERSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 LANSING K. TEVIS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ADJUSTABLE COUPLING FOR AEROPLANE STAY-WIRES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

Application filed March 2, 1915. Serial No. 11,644.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SILAs CHRIs'roFrnRsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Couplings for Aeroplane Stay-Wires, of which the following is a specification.

The Present invention relates to a coupling member particularly adapted for use in connection with aeroplane stay wires, and to supplant the common form of turn buckle which is now universally in use in connection with the stay wires.

The invention has for its principal obj ects to provide a structure which will enable the stay wires to be drawn to the required tension, one which will enable the wires under tension to be quickly released therefrom without altering the adjustment there of, and to provide a structure which is capable of universal movement at its base, which will prevent the crystallization of the same, due to the vibration of the stay wires.

Other objects are to provide a structure which is light in weight, one which is manufactured at little cost, and one which is easy of adjustment and which may be operated to attach or detach the stay wire in little time.

With the above mentioned and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the ac companying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

To more fully comprehend the invention, reference is directed to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of an embodiment of my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device disclosed in Fig. 1. Fig.3 is an enlarged view of the outer end of the device. Fig. 4 is a view in section of the manner of securing one end of the device in position.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several viewsl designates a suitable shank threaded at one end as at 2 and blfurcated at its outer end forming arms 3. The head 4 of a tongue 5 fits in the bifurcation between the arms 3 and the same is pivoted on a pin or member 6 which extends transversely therethrough and through the arms. The head portion 4,015 the tongue ,5 is formed with a seat 7 adapted to receive the stay wire 8 of the plane, and said seat, when the tongue is in its closed position, is in line with the center of the shank 1 so that a straight pull is maintained thereon.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 3, it will be observed that the inner faces of the arms 3 are cut away, as at 9, which permits the edge of the seat 7 to project beyond the same, that the stay wire will have unobstructed movement on the opening and closing movement of the tongue.

The free end of the tongue is formed with the ears 10 which are adapted to extend over the side edges of the shank when the tongue is in closed position, and said tongue is maintained in such position by a tubular sleeve 11 fitted over the shankl and adapted to project over the free end of the tongue when the same is resting on the shank l. The

.sleeve 11 is formed with an interior annular flange 12 against which rests one end of a coiled spring 13 which surrounds the shank interiorly of the sleeve 11 and said spring is maintained under tension by the nut 14: which is of a diameter substantially the same as the interior of the sleeve and is adjustable on a threaded portion 15 on the shank 1.

An outwardly projecting flange 16 is formed on the shank 1 adjacent to the end of the tongue 5 and the same is adapted to limit the outward movement of the sleeve 11.

The inner end of the shank 1 is threaded, as at 2, and is received in one end of a tubular coupling or base member interiorly threaded, as at 18. A look nut 19 which cooperates with the exteriorly threaded end 20 of the coupling, which is slotted longitudinally as at 21, looks the shank 1 in its adjusted position within the coupling and prevents the same from turning.

The tubular coupling or base member projects through an opening 22 in a cup shaped socket member 23, seated in a flanged base 24, and which maintains the lower edges of the member 23 rigid. The base 24: rests on a suitable frame member 25 and is secured thereto by a bolt 26 which extends through the socket 23 and base 2 and through the frame member and carries a nut 27 at its lower end. The upper end of the bolt is flattened and provided with an eye 28 to provide a securing means for other parts of the frame and below said flattened portion there is provided an annular flange 29 which rests on a suitable seat 30 in the socket member 23.

Each socket member is adapted to receive a plurality of the tubular coupling or base members and to prevent the same from rotating, apertures 31 are formed in the base of each coupling and through the same are passed the wire 32 which encircles the bolt 26.

The opening 22 in the socket member is formed with a curved inner face, and to provide a universal joint movement for the coupling and to prevent the coupling member from pulling through the opening in the cup-shaped socket, the lower end of the coupling is enlarged, as at 33, and the face thereof is rounded, as at 34:.

By my improved device it will be apparent that when the same is adjusted to maintain the stay wire taut when the tongue is in its closed position, it is only necessary in releasing the stay wire to operate the sleeve 11 in a direction to compress the spring, raise the tongue and at which time the stay wire will be raised with the movement of the tongue, owing to being received in the seat 7 By providing a universal movement between the socket and coupling members the crystallization of the shank, caused by the vibration of the taut wire, is overcome.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is 2- 1. An adjustable coupling for aeroplane stay wires, comprising a body member having a head and a threaded shank, a tongue pivotally mounted on said head and adapted to fold downwardly thereonto and provide a wire en aging means, a sleeve for engaging aroun said tongue and said head to maintain said tongue looked, a coupling member for cooperation with the threaded shank and having threaded engagement therewith, and means for locking said body and coupling members in their adjusted position.

2. An adjustable coupling for aeroplane stay wires, comprising a body member, having a head and a threaded shank, a tongue pivotally mounted on said head and adapted to fold downwardly thereonto and provide a wire engaging means, a sleeve for engaging around said tongue and said head to maintain said tongue in locked position,

a coupling member for cooperation with the threaded shank of said body member and having adjustable engagement therewith, means for lockin said couplin and bodv members together in their adjusted position, and a socket member through which said coupling member projects and with which said coupling has universal move ment.

3. An adjustable coupling for aeroplane stay wires, comprising a body formed at one end with a bifurcated head and at the other with a threaded shank, a tongue pivotally mounted in the bifurcation of said head and capable of movement to rest at its free end on said body portion, a spring pressed sleeve surrounding said body portion and for movement over said tongue when the free end thereof is at rest on said body portion, an interiorly threaded tubular coupling member adapted to receive said threaded shank, said coupling member having a threaded portion at one end and an enlarged head at the other, a socket member through which said coupling projects and with which said coupling member has universal movement, means for locking said coupling member from rotation in said socket, and means engaging the threaded end of said coupling for locking the coupling and shank together in their adjusted positions.

4. An adjustable coupling for aeroplane stay wires, comprising a socket member pro vided with a plurality of openings in the surface thereof, means for securing said socket member in position, a coupling member projecting through each of said openings and each formed on its end within said socket with an enlarged head to provide universal movement between the socket and coupling members, means for preventing rotation of said coupling members within said socket member, a body member for cooperating with the free end of each coupling member and having adjustable engagement therewith, wire engaging means carried by each of said body members, and means for locking each of said body members and their associated couplings in their adjusted position.

5. An adjustable coupling for aeroplane preventing rotation of said coupling members within said socket member, a body member for cooperating with the free end of each coupling member and having adiustable en a ement therewith. wire en a ing means carried by each of said body members, and means for locking each of said body members and their associated couplings in their adjusted position. 5

6. An adjustable coupling for aeroplane stay wires comprising a substantially semispherical socket member provided with a plurality of openings the surface thereof, a boltvextending centrally through said semispherical socket member for retaining the same in position, said bolt being provided with an eye at its outer end, a coupling member projecting through each of said openings and each formed on its end Within said" socket with an enlarged head to provide universal movement between the socket and con ling members, means for preventing rotation of said socket memher, a body member for cooperating with the free end of each coupling member and having adjustable engagement therewith,

w1re engaging means carried by each of said body members, and means for locking each of said body members and their associated couplings in their adjusted position.

7. An adjustable coupling for aeroplane stay wires comprising an anchor member provided with a plurality of semispherical radially disposed in ment sockets radially disposed in the surface thereof, a projection extending upwardly from said anchor member and provided with an opening therein, means for securing said anchor member in position, a coupling member extending from-each of said sockets, said coupling members having semispherical enlargements on their inner ends adapted to universally engage said sockets, abody member for each of said coupling members, adjustably secured to the free ends thereof, a bifurcated head formed uponthe outer end of each of said body members, a tongue pivotally mounted in the bifurcation of each of said heads to provide a means for detachably engaging a wire, and capable of move'- to rest at its free end on said body member, and a spring pressed slidable sleeve surrounding each of said body members and for movement over said. tongue when the free end thereof is at rest on"said body member.

In testimony whereof I have name to this specification in the two subscribing Witnesses.

SILAS CHRISTOFFERSON. Witnesses:

' HARRY A; TOTTEN, ETTA, LAIDLAW.

signed my presence of 

